One Red Dead Redemption 2 player has managed to create their own version of a Tron lightcycle as it might exist in 1898. With a bit of ingenuity and an unwilling participant, Red Dead Redemption 2 briefly bridged the gap between western and sci-fi.
While there are plenty of mods for Red Dead Redemption 2—including one that bestows Superman-like powers onto Arthur—the Tron lightcycle was achieved in the base game. In lieu of a motorbike, Reddit user Eight_Bits_ employed a local horse as a vehicle. Then it was as simple as dousing a bear pelt in moonshine, lighting it on fire, and running over it with a horse that is also packing a moonshine-doused pelt. The effect is one that is very similar to the Tron lightcycle, as the horse now leaves behind it a path of glowing fire much like the lightcycle's trail.
In a brief clip uploaded to Reddit, Eight_Bits_ showed the recreation in action. While the fire dissipates rather quickly, a horse in Red Dead Redemption 2 moves quickly enough to complete at least a full loop. While the effect serves more or less no purpose, it could be a hilarious trick to show off in online lobbies. The animal lovers in the crowd can breathe a sigh of relief as the brief brush with fire seems to leave the horse relatively unscathed. Still, players may want to opt for skipping the trick entirely and instead spend their time bonding with their Red Dead Redemption horses rather than lighting them on fire for greater rewards.
Interestingly, this is not the first Tron-inspired scene witnessed in a Rockstar Game. Inveterate Grand Theft Auto Online fans will remember the Deadline mode that was a direct nod to the Tron franchise. The biggest difference is that the Deadline mode was officially ushered in by Rockstar itself, whereas this recent clip is a bit of fun fan ingenuity. For those looking to recreate the effect, any massive pelt will do including bear, bison, elk, moose, and the like.
Sadly, for the horses of Red Dead Redemption 2, this is also not the first horse-set-ablaze incident witnessed in-game. Just recently, another Redditor's horse was badly burned yet miraculously survived and took on a permanently scarred appearance. At the very least, the Tron lightcycle and similar tricks remind us of the durability of Red Dead Redemption 2's horses, but in a game where a horse is essentially the player's closest companion, many fans feel that incidents of equine arson are disappointingly common.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is currently available on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.